Dawn and Xander
by LauraJanIce
Summary: The title says it all. Post 'Chosen' but Spike didn't die and only the Highschool collapsed.
1. Chapter 1

**Dawn and Xander **

**Rating: **T should cover this one.**  
Pairings: **Dawn/Xander, Buffy/Spike, mentions Willow/Kennedy.**  
Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the characters. My TV just gave me these puppets and now I'm playing with them.  
**A/N: **I almost always make an excuse here for lame titles. This time I'm not even going to try. Anyway… one day I woke up and wanted a Dawn/Xander paring so I wrote it. I think their friendship in Season 7 could in time have led to more. Who knows, maybe someone other than me likes it.

**Chapter 1**

"Ok... I'm sad to say... but I think we've gone through everyone here," Xander said looking around the Bronze for some poor creature that they hadn't already mocked this evening.

"Really?" The young brunette beside him started looking around also.

"We're pathetic," he announced sharing a look with her.

The song finished and the band started something more upbeat after the few slow songs they had done now. The people on the dancefloor scattered a little needing a bit more space for the hopping and bopping than slowdancing. Well with the exception of the truly toothachingly in-love couples including the red haired which and the dark haired slayer holding each other tightly and swaying way too slowly in rhythm with the music.

"You wanna dance?" Xander asked.

"After all we've said about the dancing people?"

"Well it's either that or checking on the pool players." He glanced towards the pool table were Buffy and Spike were occupying each other. When they played pool there were stakes. Not the typical wooden kind and not money but the kind where the other residents of the house could just hope that they finished early and went home ahead to start the paying up. "We could check if they are up to handcuffs and blindfolds yet."

"Dancing it is then." The expression on Dawn's face as she slid off the chair summed up both their relief.

Dawn was a good dancer and Xander liked dancing with her. They spent a lot of time together since the two couples in their group seemed always to be way too obsessed with each other for other, not coupled people, to stand being around them.

After a few of upbeat songs the band turned to the slow ones again. He liked the fast ones better. Slow songs just made up such a romantic atmosphere, which made him a little uncomfortable sometimes. Most of the time they would get a drink or find something else to do when they came on. Tonight they had already gone through all of their usual activities: Mocking people, making up ridiculous stories about people they had never seen before and afterwards hoped they'd never see again, annoy the bartender… "Should we maybe…" he started as he let go of her hand.

"Come on!" she insisted and took his hand again and moved closer to him.

He gave in and they started swaying to the rhythm of the music again. It wasn't so bad tonight. Didn't make him feel awkward. It actually felt rather nice having Dawns head on his shoulder, smelling her shampoo. This tiny thought triggered a series of other. He felt her warmth rush through his entire body, the skin of her hand felt like silk against his, her movements matched his uncomfortably well. Uncomfortable was a key word. His body stiffened as his unusually logical mind drew the final conclusion. These were not the brotherly feelings he was used to having for this girl.

Even though his thoughts totally freaked him out he couldn't get himself to let go of her. He just wanted to keep feeling her breath on the skin of his neck, keep her hand in his, feel her skin under his fingertips. Finally but sadly the song was over and he let go.

Back at the table he was quiet. What the hell happened out on the dancefloor? What the hell was wrong with him? She's Buffy's little sister. She could just as well be my sister! This is so wrong!

"Xander, are you alright?" Dawn asked. "I think I've never heard you be quiet for a whole 15 minutes."

Before he had to make up some lame excuse about a long day at work and a headache Willow and Kennedy joined them and nobody paid any attention to Xander's deep sigh of relief.


	2. Chapter 2

**Rating: **T should cover this one.

**Pairings: **Dawn/Xander, Buffy/Spike, mentions Willow/Kennedy.  
**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the characters. My TV just gave me those puppets and now I'm playing with them.

**Chapter 2**

"I can't believe you let her invite a date." Xander told Buffy carefully trying not to reveal his improper feelings to the girl in question in his voice.

Just seeing Dawn talking with the guy, who claimed to be a freshman at UC Sunnydale, made his heart ache, no matter how much he tried to block out the feelings he had been harboring against his will for the past couple of months.

"Well, It's her party, so I couldn't really forbid her to invite him. And actually, I like knowing a little bit about what she's up to, now that she's turning eighteen," Buffy answered him arranging some cheese picks on a plate.

"I don't like him." He stated to his friend.

"I never said I did. But she seems to." They both looked over to the pair. This Jackson guy must have just said a hilarious joke since Dawn was laughing almost hysterically and balancing herself against his arm.

"Well he is human and he doesn't smell evil, but that's not totally reliable," Spike said coming over to them and stealing one of the cheese picks. Buffy's fierce glare only made his grin widen.

"No that's certainly not conclusive," Xander said before the couple before him made this staring contest of theirs into something even more horrible for him to witness. He was getting used to them being a couple but still didn't like witnessing it. "Buffy, you remember those frat boys that were going to offer you and Cordelia up as a sacrifice to that snake demon?"

"Yeah, you know, in retrospect, that snake wasn't so scary."

"You remember what fraternity that was? Or maybe I should just go and ask him if he is in a fraternity. Secret societies of any kind can't really be a good thing." Still he didn't move a muscle. He just watched. Thank God Dawn was no longer talking to the guy but coming over to them.

"How about opening some presents. I think everyone I invited is here…" She told her sister obviously trying to play down her excitement a little.

"Fine. Let's move this shinding to living room," Buffy ordered.

Once the presents were in front of her just waiting to be opened Dawn had no way of hiding her anticipation and childish excitement. Xander was fascinated watching her from safe distance at his spot leaning against the doorway leading out to the hall. She was the perfect image of a child at Christmas: glowing. A child. That was what she was. No matter how the years went by she always was a child to him. Someone that looked up to him and his elder wisdom, someone that needed his protection. Not only against evil hell-bitches out for some ancient mystical energy or ultimate evils trying to destroy the world. But just as much from normal human beings like that Jackson she was flirting with before.

But now she wouldn't be a child anymore. She was turning eighteen. Legally she wouldn't be a child. Legally she would be able to do almost whatever she wanted. Legally it wouldn't be wrong if he… He shrugged off the train of thought he had spontaneously sneaked up on him and looked around with a guilty face to check if anyone had caught him.

Dawn finished unwrapping her present from Buffy and Spike giving them each a bear hug in return and then looking around for any more presents.

"I think that just leaves Xander's present," Buffy said. Dawn's eyes met his.

It took his brain a few moments to realize that he was supposed to say something. "Why don't you go upstairs and look in your room? I hope you like it as much as Buffy said you would."

The girl sprang of her seat and bolted up the stairs. He like the others just followed her up with his eyes and they didn't have wait long for the shrieks of joy coming from the upper floor. Footsteps followed and Dawn came running down the stairs again and flung herself around Xanders neck kissing his cheek. "Xander, it's gorgeous. I don't know how to say thank you – it's totally amazing."

He allowed himself to enjoy the sensation of holding her so close for a moment. But finally he put her down ashamed of himself. "I'm glad you like it. I know you don't have that many weapons, but it's good for other stuff as well."

"Oooh I have to go look at it again." With that she was up the stairs again but this time the whole party followed to look at this amazing gift.

The gift was a large wooden chest with elaborate carvings on the sides and the lid. Xander had made a similar chest as a weapons chest for Buffy a few years back and when she had once mentioned that Dawn always had loved it he decided to make one for her too. Spike had helped him getting it upstairs earlier that day while Buffy and Dawn were out and they had stashed it in Buffy and Spikes room until just before Dawn started opening her presents.

This chest was actually much more elaborate than Buffy's trunk. Both had his carving skills improved since he made the first one but also since he had realized his not all so platonic feelings for Dawn he had some time to spare. He hadn't found any better way to deal with his morally gray-ish feelings than avoiding her as much as possible, which meant for a large part avoiding all of his friends.

But now, seeing her so happy because of something he made her, nothing else mattered.


	3. Chapter 3

**Rating: **T should cover this one.**  
Pairings: **Dawn/Xander, Buffy/Spike, mentions Willow/Kennedy.**  
Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the characters. My TV just gave me those puppets and now I'm playing with them.  
**A/N:** A big thanks to the nice people who have reviewed this story or put in on their alert list. I'm really glad that you like it because I was really unsure about posting it. But here's another chapter which I hope you'll enjoy.

**Chapter 3**

Xander had hoped his lustful feelings for Dawn were just some kind of phase that would pass, but to his bother they didn't. If anything they were growing stronger while his resistance to them faltered. Often he found himself daydreaming and fantasizing about her.

He had tried to meet other women. It had taken him a few miserable first dates to realize the problem. The women he met just weren't good enough. None of them had a smile as sweet as Dawn's, none of the possessed her incredible vitality and none of them got the stupid jokes that would have him and Dawn rolling on the floor with laughter. After he realized this he handed in the towel. It was time to face the music. He was in love with Dawn.

Admitting it to himself however didn't change the fact that he shouldn't be and he still hadn't found a better plan than keep avoiding contact with her as much as possible. But that plan was getting harder to follow. It was demon season in Sunnydale again. Sure, demons didn't really have a season but demon activity on the Hellmouth was up. That called for research where all brains available were required, even his. And since Giles' departure Dawn was head librarian and oversaw the researching which made it difficult to stay away from her.

So far it hadn't been too bad though. Today he only lost track of time while staring at her about two times an hour. He did feel awkward being in the same room with her and tried to be very conscious about his thoughts, with mixed results. He knew very well that the thoughts that he was almost thinking were enough to get him seriously injured if he was caught. If Buffy or Spike could see into his brain he would get a good hammering, like a steak about to be put on the pan. Actually Spike was more of a threat to him. Even if Buffy was his best friend and Dawn her sister he wasn't sure that she'd realize that there was something different about his gaze. Spike would though. He was good at picking up these things. Maybe he could even smell it. Xander wasn't exactly chairman of the Spike fan-club but he had to admit that if there was something the vampire cared about it was Buffy and Dawn. He was probably even more protective of Dawn because she was so important to the Slayer.

Xander didn't really disagree that he deserved a good beating for his impure thoughts but still wasn't eager to turn himself in.

He shrug up from his thoughts and looked at the book in front of him again. A drawing of a hideous creature with four arms and three mouths looked back at him. At least he'd gotten a book with pictures. "What did you say we were looking for again?" he asked yawning. They had been at it for six hours now without any luck.

"Something with sharp teeth, hoofs and at least two claws," Dawn replied patiently.

"Right!" Xander started turning pages again. After a couple of pages he stopped. The picture fit the description. "Hey, could this one be it?" He grabbed Dawns arm and pointed at the book in front of him. He removed his hand quickly when he realized what he had done, when he found same kind of current go through him as when she hugged him at her birthday party. He hoped she hadn't noticed anything strange.

"Yeah, I think it could be it, let me see." She leaned forward over the table and turned the book towards her.

Her head was so close to his face he couldn't help breathing in the scent of her, even without super vampire smelling powers. Probably it was mostly the shampoo she washed her hair with. Oh no, washing her hair, shower, naked…this was not a good line of thought. He felt ashamed and leaned backwards in his chair as far as he could to try and minimize the temptation of letting her scent send him off to some daydreams that would make him blush even more from shame.

Dawn called Buffy on her cell-phone and gave her the head's up on where the demon would be likely to go and how to kill it. She and Spike were on it.

Even with his earlier slip up Xander didn't feel like going home to his empty apartment just yet. It had been a while since he had spent time with Dawn and the gang and he did miss them. "So who's up for some Chinese? I'm starving?"

"Sure" replied Willow and Kennedy, who was sitting home with a sprained knee from patrol earlier that night.

"Great, I'll go with you," Dawn offered. "I really need to get out of this house, if even for a few minutes. And since the Aknkaq demon is more fond of the woods than lit streets, Chinese take-away it should be alright."

Xander wasn't so sure it would be alright but didn't find any usable excuse to stop her from coming along and being alone with him in the car for the short ride. He hadn't been alone with her since that night at the Bronze.

When they got to the car and where fastening their seatbelts their elbows clashed together and Xander shrugged away. This was a very bad idea, he thought to himself but then tried to convince himself that that was just a coincidence and he was being totally overdramatic. He tried to relax and tell some jokes, like old times. Once they got to the restaurant it had worked. It almost seemed like old times. He and Dawn laughing their ass off over jokes no one else would find the slightest bit funny.

While they were waiting for the food to be delivered to them there was a long silence after an extremely strange thing Xander had heard at work and they had laughed about for five minutes now.

"I've missed you, Xander," Dawn said.

Xander wasn't prepared for this and couldn't do anything besides stare at his shoes.

"What happened?" she continued. "We used to do this all the time, laugh and spend time together. Now I've hardly seen you for months. I miss this."

"Yeah me too." He knew that this was not really a satisfying answer to her questions but he didn't know what else to say.

"Have you got a new girlfriend?" she asked casually.

"What?" he was totally thrown by the question.

"Are you seeing someone? Is that why you come round so seldom now? I mean it's great if you are. You shouldn't be hiding her from us." Their eyes met and he almost looked pained.

"No, I'm not seeing anyone." Their food was ready and once they got the car Xander had found a very different topic they could discuss.

Shortly after Xander and Dawn arrived with the food Spike and Buffy returned. Finding the demon hadn't been hard once they knew where to look. The Chinese take out was a big hit but it was getting late.

"Dawn, shouldn't you be getting to bed. As I recall, you have school tomorrow." Buffy was in her much self-loathed mother role.

"I guess so. But hey, Xander! Could you come for a moment and have a look at my chest, there's this strange squeaking in the lid when I open it."

This had taken him by surprise and he had lost the thread by the time she said his name. "Your chest?" I sounded completely clueless about what she was talking about.

"The weapon's chest? The one that you made me, for my birthday?"

"Oh, yes, right. Let's have a look at it." He followed her up the stairs trying to erase the pictures his brain had formed when she talked about the chest. He was a sick man.

Once in her room he went strait to the chest and opened it listening carefully. "I don't hear anything." He waggled the lid up and down a little.

Dawn closed the door. "There isn't really anything wrong with the chest."

"Well, then I should probably be going." He stood up and walked towards her since she was still standing in front of the door.

She didn't move and he just stopped and looked at her. Finally she slowly took one step towards him broke the eye contact by closing her eyes and kissed him on the lips. His immediate actions were to step back and end the contact that way. Neither of them spoke. They just looked at each other. He didn't know what exactly he saw in her eyes but it was not dislike. His brain was still recovering from the amazing sensation of feeling her lips on his, how soft they had been… his eyes stopped at her lips… the taste he didn't really have time to taste. He was slowly moving towards her again. She didn't move a muscle when he lowered his head, gently took her in his arms and kissed her again. He gently tasted her lips with his and she responded by parting them and let her tongue slide into his mouth. He was surprised of her daringness and then he realized what he was doing. They had to stop. He had to stop it!

"Dawn," he was short of breath. "What are we doing? We can't be doing this. I shouldn't be doing this! You shouldn't even know how to do that! Oh my God, Buffy will kill me." Xander panicked.

Dawn grabbed him and stopped his pacing back and forth in the few feet her room had to spare for such activities. "Relax, we were just kissing. There's nothing wrong with that. And Buffy isn't here."

"Nothing wrong! Everything is wrong about this! You've always been like my little sister and all of the sudden I'm kissing you in a not brotherly way… What have I done?" He started pacing again.

"Xander! I'm not your sister! There's nothing wrong here. And it wasn't just you who did this." She didn't try to stop his pace again and just sat down on the end of the bed and looked up at him.

"But I'm the adult here. I'm supposed to be the responsible one. You're Buffy's sister. She will kill me!"

"I'm 18 now. It's okay and again, you weren't alone in this and Buffy doesn't know. I won't tell her if you don't want me to."

"She'll know. Or Spike will know. He'll smell it or something. They're gonna kill me!" Xander was getting hysterical now. And Dawn stood up again and tried to calm him down.

"He will smell you because we went to get the Chinese together or because I helped you fix my chest," she replied soothingly. Making up excuses to Buffy and Spike for all sorts of things wasn't a new sport for her.

"You can't tell her! And this can never happen again, understand?" Xander had finally stopped but still looked really freaked.

"Sure." Her tone of voice was rather careless but he was too upset with himself to notice anything than the actual words that came out of her mouth.

"Good night" he went downstairs somehow mumbled to say goodnight to the people there and left in shock.


	4. Chapter 4

**Rating: **T should cover this one.**  
Pairings: **Dawn/Xander, Buffy/Spike, mentions Willow/Kennedy.**  
Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the characters. My TV just gave me those puppets and now I'm playing with them.

**Chapter 4**

"Come on Xander, it's no big deal. Just be quiet while I go downstairs and make my presence known. I'll be right back." Dawn was gone before he had a chance to convince her once more that this was a very bad idea.

He sat down on her bed not knowing what to do with himself, looking very uncomfortable and looking around at the door with every sound just waiting for the execution squad to find him there – guilty as hell. Trying not to wallow to much in his overtime working conscience he realized that after all these years he had never before had to enter this house through the window.

Finally Dawn came back. Not going about very discreetly he noticed.

"Typical. The one time I come home to pretend to be doing my homework no one is home to take notice. They are all out on some demon hunting thing. Something sudden. Well… I guess we just have to find other ways to entertain ourselves." She moved seductively towards the bed while uttering these last words.

She climbed on to the bed and put her arms around him from behind as he refused to really join her on the bed.

"Not here. Not in your house," he mumbled struggling not to relax himself into her caress.

"Why not, no-one's home, remember," she whispered in his ear.

"They could come back."

"God knows when. I left a note downstairs that I was really tired and went to bed early, in case they come home soon. Come on, Xander." She started kissing his neck and slowly unbuttoning his shirt.

Finally he gave in, kicked off his shoes and joined her on the bed.

Xander woke up with a grasp. "Oh god! Dawn!" he whispered. "Dawn, wake up!"

"What is it sweetie?"

"I fell asleep."

"So did I. Let's sleep some more. Sleep good. "

"I can't. I have to go!"

"Where do you have to be at… five in the morning?" she said glancing at the red glowing numbers on her radio alarm.

"Not here, that's the point. I can't be here when everybody wakes up." He was already off the bed trying to find his pants in the dark.

"Just go out the window then. But you don't really have to go until like just before seven. That's when Buffy's alarm goes off. And in case you get caught you just say that you… yah, well… you can't really say you've been out jogging since you don't live here. You could say that you're watch is broken and that you really think that it is already eight and time to pick me up for school," she suggested looking slightly annoyed at him from her comfortable position on the bed.

"Except that you take the bus."

"You can say that it was in your way and you were in the mood for some bad jokes. Don't worry so much. It's highly unlikely that anyone will catch you or suspect you of anything. I've never been caught all these times sneaking in after being with you. No one here is really a morning person."

"Oh God, you have to do this every morning, I've never really thought about how this was for you. I'm sorry." He said sitting down again and taking her hand with real pity on his face.

She just shrugged carelessly. "The mornings aren't that bad. Sneaking out is trickier, especially because of Spike, but I'm good at it."

"I'm sorry that I have put you in this stupid position," the sincerity of the words where shining through his voice.

"Hey no sweat. But you know we wouldn't have to be in this position. Maybe we should just tell them." She knew it was useless suggesting this to him. She had done it before and it never resulted in anything other than Xander almost having a nervous breakdown.

"Are you crazy?"

"Xander, we've been together for almost six months and we're not stopping, are we? We have to sooner or later."

"I'm for the later option." He had found his pants and shirt and was now fumbling with the laces on his shoes.

"You're being childish. I mean what are they going to do about it? It's our life and we're not doing anything wrong."

"No I'm being realistic. Your sister is the Slayer living with a formerly crazy evil vampire who is just as protective towards you as she is. They could for example find a nice little crypt where they could lock you away forever and take me by the hands and each pull at one end until I rip down through the middle, and you are the only one that will say that we're not doing anything wrong." He had made hundreds of scenarios in his head of what would happen if they got caught and none of them ended with hugs and puppies.

"Hey in this group there should be rather lean standards. Everyone has lied and hidden something or done something that really can't be considered nice. But we're all still alive, no one has been ripped in two and we're actually all still friends."

"There's a first time for everything. I'm going to go now. Will I see you tonight?"

"Maybe? If I don't get caught sneaking out," she said with a pout.

He knew he'd be seeing her.


	5. Chapter 5

**Dawn and Xander**

**Rating: **T should cover this one.**  
Pairings: **Dawn/Xander, Buffy/Spike, mentions Willow/Kennedy.**  
Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the characters. My TV just gave me those puppets and now I'm playing with them.  
**A/N:** Thanks to all those who reviewed the last two chapters. You guys are great! Unfortunately this chapter starts out a little like the last one but we get some more action later.

**Chapter 5**

"Come on Xander, don't be a party pooper. No one's home. Take a shower with me? Pleeeeeaaaasssee."

He could do nothing against these puppy eyes no matter how risky her suggestion was. It was only a few days after his first time secretly spending the night in her bed. His tolerance towards her suggestions was weakening every day. Spike and Buffy could get back any minute. Being at the house would be explainable, but taking a shower there… that might be a little harder to explain – especially with the youngster of the house.

As they were drying off, which might as well have ended in having to take another shower, they heard the front door open.

"Dawn? We're back! Are you home?" Buffy was calling.

Xander already had his underwear on and was struggling with untangling his pants.

Dawn opened the door slightly: "Yeah I'm home. I just got out of the shower. Be down in a few minutes."

"Shit! Hell! Shit!" Xander was finally getting the pants on.

Dawn grabbed the rest of his clothes handed them to him and shoved him out the door and into her room. The door slammed behind him as she heard someone coming up the stairs. It was Spike. She didn't even manage to get to the bathroom again before he was up there. He looked at her, wrapped in her towel heading towards the bathroom.

"Didn't I hear your door just now?"

"Yeah, I was looking for my… ehm… hairbrush."

"And you didn't find it?"

One of her hands was holding up the towel around her and the other one was empty. "No, I just remembered I put it at the other side of the sink… that's why I didn't find it at first. It wasn't in its usual place." She smiled a big smile at him knowing this was a pathetic cover up. But the only one she could cook up on the spot.

"And you just got out of the shower you say?" Spike was looking far too suspiciously at her.

"Uhu." She tried to get away but he grabbed her shoulder gently but firmly.

"You have you to tell her!" He ordered with a firm stare into her eyes.

"Tell who what?" The innocence act: Last chance.

"You just got out of the shower and can still smell him on you! You have to tell Buffy. I won't tell, but I won't lie and she's getting suspicious. Tell her!" He let her go and she went to get her things from the bathroom, including the stupid hairbrush.

Xander was still in her room. "I heard Spike got you."

"He knows! He could smell it." She replied sitting down on the bed.

"Oh God. Should I just go downstairs and turn myself in for execution or should I run?"

"He's not gonna tell her. He said I have to."

"I'll be with you. When you do you want to do it?" If Spike knew, there was no getting out of this. It was time to really face the music.

"Not now. How 'bout tomorrow morning? That way, if… no when she gets all mad I'll have to go to school and you and she to work and she has the whole day to think it over – which hopefully will be better for us. And Spike can't hunt you down and kill you in the sunlight!"

"Great comfort, that is. I think Buffy can do that all on her own." He looked sadly into her eyes. "I'm sorry that this is so complicated. I'll go now and come back tomorrow morning."

"Can't you stay?" The puppy eyes again.

"Dawn, is that a good idea?"

"Sure. Spike won't suspect that you're still here and I don't want to sleep alone. Please!"

"I don't believe I'm doing this." He sat down on her bed. "Just for the record, this is not a good idea."

"Maybe not, but I still like it." She crawled to him and gave him a gentle kiss.

"I'm just gonna go downstairs and say hello to Buffy. I'll be back in a few!" He got a fingerkiss as she went out the door.

* * *

"Right." Deep sigh. "Go get the car. Go home. Change clothes and come back here. Dawn I'm scared." Xander leaned his head on her shoulder.

"Come on. Be positive. Maybe it won't be so bad. I mean Spike didn't seem that mad last night! Maybe he kind of prepped her or something."

"Prepped her how? Me and Spike aren't exactly best friends if you haven't noticed."

"But he would never hurt me. And hurting you means hurting me so…" It was worth a shot she thought.

"Okay. Go get the car, go home, change clothes and come back here." He counted the tasks on his fingers. Dawn walked to him and grabbed his arms. "Xander, look at me. It'll be alright." She couldn't believe how much he was actually freaking out over this. She knew he loved her but she couldn't believe how scared he was of Buffy's reaction to their relationship.

"Yeah. It'll be like a walk in the park." She smiled. If the sarcasm was back there was nothing to worry about. She leaned towards him and kissed him.

"Dawn! What did you to with my black…" A brief knock on the door and Buffy stormed in the room.

Dawn turned at looked at her sister who was frozen in her step looking at the pair.

"Oh, God," Xander sighed even more petrified in his step than Buffy.

Buffy didn't say anything. She just turned around, went out the door and closed it behind her.

Dawn and Xander looked at each other. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Dawn asked. They heard that Willow was talking to Buffy and soon Spike too but decided it would be best just to wait in there. The others would come soon enough.


	6. Chapter 6

**Rating: **T should cover this one.**  
Pairings: **Dawn/Xander, Buffy/Spike, mentions Willow/Kennedy.**  
Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the characters. My TV just gave me those puppets and now I'm playing with them.  
**A/N:** After this there'll only be two more chapters. This one has lot's of talking.

**Chapter 6**

"Buffy? Is everything alright?" Willow asked Buffy who was standing still and looking totally flabbergasted outside Dawn's room. Spike joined them.

"Buffy? What is it?" he asked.

Buffy didn't say anything. Didn't move anything. Just stood there.

"Honey! Breathe!" Spike commanded and she followed his orders.

"It can't be..." she finally mumbled. Then with a little more determination: "I'm hallucinating! It can't be! He wouldn't..."

"What? Who?" Willow asked confused.

"Bloody hell! Is he still here? How stupid can an idiot be?" He got ready to go into the room but Buffy stopped him.

"You knew?"

"Just figured it out last night. Told her she had to tell you. Never thought he would be here all night, though! That's just bloody stupid."

"What is going on?" Willow tried to ask one more time.

Buffy seemed to be trying to aswer the question. "Xander is in there kissing Dawn!"

"What!" Willow stormed in the door and found the couple in question sitting patiently on the end of her bed holding hands.

The words didn't come easily to Willow. "What? Xander? How? Dawn? What?"

"Hi Willow!" Dawn said in her sweet girly voice. She stood up and motioned Xander to do the same as Spike and Buffy came in to the room. "Hey guys. I'm so glad you're all here." There was more than a slight hint of irony in her voice. "I've got something to tell you. I was gonna do this downstairs in a few minutes but... Well... Me and Xander are seeing each other."

No one said a word for what seemed to be an eternity.

Buffy sat down on Dawn's desk chair. "How long... has this been going on?"

"About six months," Xander said reluctantly.

"Six months!" Buffy went ballistic with the yelling but still it actually was better than Xander had imagined. She hadn't even tried to strangle him – yet. "Xander... what the hell are you doing? What are you thinking? How could you? She's just a kid! She's my sister! My kid sister!"

"I know, I know. Buffy, I didn't mean to. It just somehow happened." He knew the apology was useless. She was not nearly done and he really couldn't blame her.

"Nothing just happens. There is always a choice to let it or let it not happen. And this definitely should have been one of the not happening ones."

"I know. I didn't do anything at first. I knew this was wrong, that I shouldn't feel like this but..."

"But what, what happened Xander?" Buffy was standing only inches away from him now.

Dawn broke in since Xander didn't seem to be getting anywhere with formulating a sentance. "I happened Buffy! I made it happen. I made the choice for him. I'm just as responsible."

"No you're not. You're not the grown up one. You don't know what you want..."

"Yes I do Buffy. I'm not a little kid. I'm eighteen now. I can make my own choices in these matters. I know what I feel. Fine it was a little strange when I realized what was going on but it's what I want. What we want and there isn't anything real that says that this is not right. It just takes some getting used to."

"Getting used to. Dawn you're only eighteen and he's six years older than you!"

"Six years Buffy. That's less than a century or two!" She was glad Buffy had given her this little opening of arguing back at her.

"Ok. Then what is with the hiding? You wouldn't have hidden from us for so long if you really thought there was nothing wrong with this!"

"That's all my fault." Xander took over again. "Dawn wanted to tell you. It was me who was scared. I knew it was wrong to begin with and after that... I knew it would be wrong to you because she's your little sister. But we have to realize that she's not that young anymore. She's a woman and is old enough to make her own decisions if she wants to make them on her own."

"A woman? O dear God. Xander did you spend the night here?" Buffy stepped even closer to them.

"Now Buffy..."

Dawn stepped in between them and crossed her hands firmly.

"Yes he spent the night and it's not the first night he's spent here – although there have been far more nights that I've spent at his place."

"WHAT! How? How the hell did we not notice this? Spike! You're supposed to have all these super senses. How could you've only figured this out last night."

"Now don't you go blaming me for this. I don't like this any better than you. But you know I don't wake easily when I'm sleeping. And at the hours when she would have been sneaking in and out it quite often happens that I'm otherwise occupied...you know! And for the smelling. I should maybe have figured it out sooner. But I mean he's her friend it if she would've been with him – non romantically she would have smelled like him too. It wasn't until she came out of the shower smelling like him that I realized."

Willow looked disgusted: "She came out of the shower... O my God, Xander, that's a way too disturbing mental picture. I have to go. I have classes."

"I also have to go to school. Xander, would you give me a ride?" Dawn grabbed her bag and walked towards the door. "See you later Buffy. I know this discussion isn't over yet. But I'm not apologizing."

"Buffy," Xander started but she just looked away. "I'm sorry we didn't tell you."

* * *

When Dawn got home from school Buffy was waiting for her on the couch in the living room. There was a awkward silence between them but Dawn knew she'd have to get this over with and sat down beside her.

"Hi"

"Hi"

"You alone?" Buffy asked.

"Xander's still at work, if that's who you mean." Dawn replied.

More disturbing silence. Neither one of them had any clue about what to do with themselves but neither thought of leaving.

"Are you still extremely mad?" Dawn asked carefully. "You totally have a right to be mad but I'd prefer to talk to you if you're just mad, not extremely mad."

"Dawn..." Buffy moved a bit closer to her sister. "... I just can't believe what I'm looking at. You look like my little sister but the things you say and do are... something a very determent young woman does. And it is very hard for me to see you as… that. And you have to realize by what you have been doing that you are forcing me on this all at once."

Dawn didn't say anything.

"But I guess I shouldn't really throw stones. You know how Mom found out that I had slept with Angel?"

"You slept with Angel? I didn't know that." Dawn replied calmly.

"Really? I thought everybody knew. I was even younger than you… taking a huge leap of faith here and hoping that Xander is you first."

Dawn just nodded and saw the relief coming out of Buffy's body with her breath.

"We did it and he went evil because of this moment of perfect happiness clause in his curse that we didn't know about."

"Wow, how romantic" Dawn blurted out not realizing fully what she was saying. "…in a really twisted way."

"Yeah, twisted alright. So I woke up alone and when I finally found the monster that looked like the man that I loved I didn't know about the change and he told me that it hadn't been a big deal and that I had a lot to learn about guys."

"Oh my God that must have been horrible."

"Yeah. And then he told Mom a few days later. And she didn't even know we had been dating. We'd been together for almost a year and I didn't tell her a thing." Now Buffy looked really ashamed.

"Buffy. I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I know would have been the grown up thing to do and I'm trying to convince everyone that I am." Dawn said looking into her sister's eyes.

"Hey. You can't everything right right away. Look at what I did with Spike."

Dawn was really surprised over Buffy's sharing mood. "You are taking this much better than I expected."

Buffy smiled back at her. "Well. Maybe it's in some part my fault that I didn't catch on. I don't even give you enough slack to get suspicious. But that just leads to extra clever sneakieness and totally oblivious parents, or like in this case clueless older sisters and vampires.

"I'll talk to you more from now on, I promise." She said hugging her sister.

"Good. But nothing about Xander in bed. Not with you. And I still want to have a good accusation talk with him, so don't tell him I was this nice." Buffy was gloating at the thought of this.

"Fine. Just don't scare him too much. He's really afraid of you disapproving… and please don't mention anything about locked crypts or ripping him in two."

Buffy raised her brows at her sister in confusion.

"Don't ask."

"Okay." Buffy agreed. "So, go call your…. Your…" she was struggling what to call him. "Call Xander and tell him to come here after work so I can torment him and then we can have dinner, all together. But don't tell him about the tormenting part – that's supposed to be a surprise."


	7. Chapter 7

**Rating: **T should cover this one.**  
Pairings: **Dawn/Xander, Buffy/Spike, mentions Willow/Kennedy.**  
Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the characters. My TV just gave me those puppets and now I'm playing with them.  
**A/N: **I think I'm just gonna put both the last two chapters out here now because they're both short.

**Chapter 7**

Xander was stiff with terror when he walked a few steps before Buffy down the stairs after their little "talk".

"You said you wouldn't be too tough on him," Dawn accused her sister putting her arms around her boyfriend and supporting him over to the couch.

"I wasn't." Buffy answered cheerfully. "I convinced Spike to let me have his go at him also. So he's through now." She left for the kitchen to help Spike with dinner.

Dawn had just gotten some life into Xander's body again when dinner was called.

Once they were all seated the scene reminded her of the dinner scene from the Rocky Horror picture show. She just hoped there wouldn't be any half eaten bodies or preferably no bodies at all at this dinner. All were there except Kennedy who was visiting her parents: Buffy, Spike, Dawn, Xander and Willow. No one spoke except for the occasional "pass the sauce please."

"This is really good Spike," Dawn tried to get some insignificant conversation going.

"Glad you like it," was the reply and the awkward silence took over again.

'I miss Anya.' Dawn thought to herself. She would have just come right out and said what was on her mind. Everyone would probably have been embarrassed of the bluntness of it but they would have gotten over it. She had to do something. The silence was getting thick enough to cut. "Ok. This is stupid." Everyone's eyes turned to her. "I can think of two ways to handle this. Either we go round the table and everyone says exactly what is bothering them or we keep pretending that nothings has changed with this gloriously awkward success." As her proposal was just met with more silence. She looked sternly at Willow.

"Well…." The witch started. "… it's strange but I guess I'm happy if you're happy."

"Good," Dawn said pleased. "That wasn't so hard was it? Spike you next."

Spike didn't hesitate at all and pointed his words at Xander. "If you hurt her I'll kill you very slowly and very painfully!"

Dawn opened her moth to thank him for his input but he apparently wasn't finished. "And you little bit! You are a sneaky little bastard!"

"Ok. Buffy. Anything you'd like to add?"

"Wasn't the weather just great today?" she said as if this was completely in sync with the topic.

Everyone at the table just started laughing at the absurd statement, the tension eased a lot and finally somebody raised a normal issue to discuss.


	8. Chapter 8

**Rating: **T should cover this one.**  
Pairings: **Dawn/Xander, Buffy/Spike, mentions Willow/Kennedy.**  
Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the characters. My TV just gave me those puppets and now I'm playing with them.  
**A/N: **So this is it for this story. Hugs to all who review and read this story. Extra cuddles to those who liked it because I kind of liked it even if I was (and am) a bit unsure about the quality of it. But now it's here so I can quit thinking about it. Enjoy the last little chappie!

**Chapter 8: Epilogue**

"I can't believe you let him stay the night. You know what they're doing right?" Spike glanced at Buffy who was extremely concentrated on spotting something to kill in the graveyard they were currently patrolling.

"Yes Spike. I know what they're doing, although I don't really fancy thinking about it in details."

"Then why the hell did you let him stay?"

She sighed and gave up on the lookout. Except for her companion the cemetery for once seemed to be totally dead for good. "Because they would just have found another way. They've been doing that for six months. This way she'll at least know that I respect her decisions and that I'm okay with this."

"Are you?"

She sat down and leaned her back to a headstone while thinking about it. "Yeah… well maybe not totally, but hey. I know him. I know he's a good guy and that he really cares for her. That's more than I could be sure of with any other guy on the planet."

Spike sat down beside her and let his arms slide around her back. "But I could scare off every other guy on the planet. If he's gotten this far I don't think he'll be scared away… but he can still be killed and will be, no matter what you say, if he hurts her."

She didn't even answer him, just rested her head on his shoulder. Today had been quite eventful even with the lack of demon activity. "How long do you think we should stay out here?" she asked after a moment of silence.

"Well long enough I reckon. I really don't want to hear anything except snoring from that room." Spike answered. "Unless you know, you'd want to make an competition out of it. I think we could take them."

"Eeewww Spike. This is Dawn we're talking about."

"Trying to block that out, you know. Maybe we just shouldn't go home at all."

"And what? Watch the sunrise together?" she asked sarcastically.

"Well, we could maybe go see in what condition my crypt is. Take a little trip down memory lane and let the corpses hear how it's supposed to be done." He blinked her very suspiciously.

"Loser on bottom." She yelled and started running in the opposite direction of her home.

The end.


End file.
